Interior Minister Marwan Charbel said on Thursday night that “he supports funding the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL)” probing the 2005 assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.
“Those who reject [Lebanon providing its share of] funding for the STL want to abolish it, but this will not [happen] and the STL will [persist],” Charbel told LBC television.
The Hezbollah-led March 8 parties – which currently dominate Lebanon’s cabinet – have opposed a clause in the Lebanese annual state budget pertaining to the funding of the tribunal, while Prime Minister Najib Mikati has voiced Lebanon’s commitment to the court and its funding.
Charbel also said that “the Syrian refugees in Lebanon should be protected and provided with homes and food.”
He also condemned the Syrian army’s entrance into Lebanese territory.
“Every violation of Lebanese territory is an assault against Lebanon’s sovereignty, and every violation of Syrian territory is an attack against Syrian sovereignty.”
On Tuesday, Syrian army tanks crossed the Lebanese border near the town of Aarsal and fired several gunshots within Lebanese territory, while on Thursday Syrian troops shot and killed a farmer near Aarsal.
Regarding his ties with Change and Reform bloc leader MP Michel Aoun, Charbel said that “Aoun is like a father and a brother to him, [adding that] he will always respect and love him.”
“I am working with Aoun to achieve change and reform, but I have my own way,” he added when asked if he support Aoun’s political stances.
“As long as I am interior minister, there will be no tension between President Michel Sleiman and Aoun.”
Charbel also said that an African person sent him a letter admitting that the latter was “asked to participate in [killing] a minster’s son,” adding that “he is following up on the letter.”
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